Electrical system of distribution.



A. S. HUBBARD.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM OF DISTRIBUTION.

APPLICATION FILED mm". 22, 1907.

987,300, Patented Mar. 21, 1911.

I N I I I I I I I W I s g I l g I I g I I l I I I I I I I I g I I av I I o M a I I I I' n o o & I I "n n I flI-l l vimwooo 8 W00 who-7, I

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BEST 8. HUBBARD, OI BELLEVIIILE, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGN OB TO GOUID STORAGE BATTERY COMPANY, A CORPORATION 01 NEW YORK..-

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM OF DISTRIBUTION.

Specification ot Letter s Patent.

Patented Mar. 21, 1911.

uma; filed June as, 1907. Serial No. 360,211.

' a citizen of the United States, and a resiing currents.

dent of Belleville, Essex county, State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electrical Systems of Distribution, of which the following is a specification.

M invention relates to electrical systems of distribution, especially to those employin alternating currents.

t has for its object-the provision of improved apparatus by which the power factor of the circuit may be kept reasonably constant. In such systems varying loads give rise to varying induction and condensance in the circuit and thus cause leading or lag- In most cases there is no efinite relation between the amount of current consumed on the system and the lead or lag of the current. The efliciency of the system is deleteriously affected by such vanations of power factor and the effect is serious where such variations are frequent and large.-

By my invention I provide a power factor compensator connected to the system which is automaticall controlled by a synchronously driven e ectric machine in accordance with wattlss energy changes in the circuit so that the effect of the compensator upon the circuit is varied as the wattless ener changes. With unit ower factor, that 1s, when the current an e ectro-motive-force of the alternating current circuit are in phase, the ower factor compensator would be so regu ated as to have substantially no effect upon the power factor of the circuit, whereas if the currents arelagging ones, due to great inductance in the circuit, the compensator would be so regulated as to reduce the lag of the current. ()n the other hand, if the current is a leading one, due to great condensance in the circuit, the compensator would be so regulated as to reduce the lead of the current. Because I regulate in accordance with the wattless ener changes of the circuit, the re lation ise ective although the power actor changes are not coincident with the current changes and although they bear no definite relation thereto. The normal value of. the power factor compensator is fixed by means that are'independent of the fluctuations of current and power factor of the system, and the regulateuds to develo tion is effected by varying the value of the compensator from its normal value by the wattless ener changes of the system.

Furthermore t e power factor compensation is controlled in its action by current taken directly from asynchronously driven field coil, the coil being excited portional to and substantiall in phase with the current of the system. hecause of this simple arrangement there is no time lag in the regulating action due to the inertia of moving parts and the regulation is much more efiicient.

. The power factor compensator is, in the present instance, a synchronous motor connected across the alternating current circuit in which compensation is to be effected. It is well known that an over-excited s nchro- "nous motoracts as a condensance an therefore tends to produce leading currents, while an under-excited synchronous motor acts as an inductance and so tends to produce a lagging current in the circuit. By employing a large synchronous motor revolving freely an varying the excitation of the field of this motor in definite relation to the power factor changes of the circuit or in accordance with the wattless ener changes of the circuit, I cause the motor to ave such a condensance or an inductance as will tend to produce leading or lagging currents and so will ofi'set the lagging or leading currents on the circuit. Thus the greater the lag that in the circuit, the greater will be the con ensance of the s nchronous motor and this condensance wil offset the inductance of the circuit tending to cause the lag. Vice versa, if the circuit has great condensance the field of the synchronous motor is automatically weakened and thereby causes the motor to have an inductance that will offset the condensance of the circuit. The synchronous motor is itself normall iven a unity power factor by a field win ing'having a substantially constant current. Preferably this current is of such a value as to give the synchronous motor a field strength that will cause the motor to act .neither as an inductance nor a condensance by current prothe system is unity and varies in direction and intensi as the power factor shifts from unity in one direction or the other. This current may be supplied to a second field windin on the sync ronous motor in such a way t at it increases the energization of the field when it is in one direction caused by lagging current on the system, and reduces the energization when it is in the other direction due to a leading current on the system. To obtain the best results this current should have an intensity in either direction corresponding to the extent of the variation of the strength of the current of the system. The apparatus that I s ecifically employ for this purpose is a regu ating converter or rectifier that has been more specificall described in my prior application Serial 0. 32$,293, filed July 2, 1906. This converter receives a current that varies in direct accordance with the current changes of the circuit but supplies two-direct currents, one of'which vanes in substantial accordance with the energy components of the alternating current, while the other variesin substantial accordance withthe non-energy components of the alternating current, or in accordance with the wattless energy. a

The power factor compensator may be connected at any part of the circuit either at the power house or at a substantial distance therefrom. In most cases it will be found most advantageous at the latter location and this location is indicated in the drawin The drawing accompanying this specification is a diagram of-one specific embodiment of my invention.

A indicates a poly hase alternating current generator supp ying current to the transmision leads 1, 2, 3.

represents the armature of the s nchronous motor constitutin the power flictor compensator above re erred to and is connected across the leads .1, 2, 3, as indicated. The transmission lines are shown dotted at the'left hand end to indicate that the generator A-may be at considerable distance from the other apparatus shown.

B is a field coil for a synchronous motor and in the present instance is shown as being supplied by current from a direct current exciter C mechanically connected to the synchronous motor. The current in the coil B ma be substantially constant. B is a secon field coil for the synchronous motor, the action of the latter being varied by variations of current therein. I will now show how the current in this coil Bis varied'in definite relation to the power factor changes of the circuit and in accordance with the wattless energy changes of the circuit.

D, D, D, represent the rimaries of series transformers one of which transmission lines. D, D, D are the sec- .prior application of power factor from unity and to the.

is in each. of the ondaries of these transformers and must therefore have a current that varies infld'irect accordance with the variations of the current on the transmission lines. present instance these secondaries are star connected.

E represents a converter which is supplied by the current. of the secondaries D. This converter in its referred form has been specifically described and claimed in the mine above referred to and, as to some of its features, it has been more articularly described in an ap lication fiiied by Edward Van Wagenen, erial No. 324,424, filed July 2, 1906. The converter as described in these applications is one having induction bllt'dQVOld of motor action, the windings of the converter being carried on a rotatable iron core, there being no field magnet or polar projections of any kind. As indicated in the drawing the three primaries D are connected to the Winding of the converter at points 120 apart, so that the three out of hase currents will produce a rotating eld. The converter is driven in synchronism with the generator by a synchronous motor F connected across the alternating current circuit. This motor should preferably be so constructed as to maintain its synchronism as completely as possible. The converter is therefore driven in synchronism with the electro-motive-force of the alternating current circuit, while the winding of .the converter is such that the rotating field pro duced by the currents in the winding E rotates in the opposite direction and is necessarily in synchronism with the current of the alternating current circuit. When the power factor is unity the rotating field will be fixed in space at a definite position. E is .the commutator of the converter upon which bear the brushes 6 and the brushes e. Brushes e are placed upon the commutator at the points of maximum difference of electro-motive-force when the power factor is unity. Brushes e are at the points of sub stantial equal electro-motive-force when the power factor is unit being placed at substantially 9O electrical degrees (in the present instance also 90 geometrical degrees) from brushes e. unity there will be no current developed in any circuit connected to the brushes e but a irect current will nected to the brushes e which is proportional in value to the currents of the alternatingcurrent circuit. When, however, the current leads. or lags, that is, when there is a departure of the power factor from unity, the rotating field must take a different position in s ace so that the brushes e areno longer at t e position of maximum electro-motiveforce. vMoreover, for" the same reasons brushes a .are no longer' at thp pogition of When the power factor is flow in any circuit con- In the equal electro-motive-force, but are subjected to an electro-motive-foree in one direction 7 or the other according to whether the curfollowing manner. The current supplied to the circuit of the brushes 6 is'employed as a regulating current by which to vary the field strength of the synchronous motor. In

the present instance this is effected by con-.

necting the brushes e directly with the field coil B The circuit of the brushes e is in the present instance'connected to an adjustable resistance R. By proper adjustment of. this resistance the value of the current in the circuit of the coil B may be made to bear the desired relation between the wattless energy changes of the main circuit and the field strength changes required to properly reduce such wattless energy changes.

do not desire to limit myself to the employment of only one of these currents supplied by the converter E for the purpose of re lating this power factor compensator, iit in most cases it is preferable to follow the specific arrangement shown in the drawing. The coil IE will beso woundand connected to the brushese that when the currents of the main circuit are leading ones the current in the coil B will be in a direction such as to make the coils B and B additive in their effects, while such coils will act difierentially when the current is reversed in the circuit of the coil B due to the presence of leading currents on the main circuit.

From the above it will be apparent that my improvements are especially efiicacious because of their simplicity, there being few, if any, parts to get out of order. By using a rectifier-of the general nature shown the the motor regulating currents for varying the field of B flow directly thereto from the transformer secondaries D. The currents from the secondaries D are merel divided in accordance with the energy an wattless components of the system, the wattless component being commutated by the brushes 6' and supplied directly to the field B this way there is no time lag due to the inertia of moving parts and the strength of the field E is at any instant not only responsive to,.but is substantially proportional to, the wattless energy component of the system.

- While I have described and explained the operation of a specific embodiment of my invention showing the apparatus that I prefer to employ, I desire it to be understood that I do not wish to be limited to the specific features shown and described as I lieve my broad invention as set out in the appended claims is not restricted to such specific features.

Having thus described my invention what power factor 'lating the field strength I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is,

1. In an alternating current system of distribution, a power factor compensator connected to the system, and means for controlling the same including a source of current substantially independent of fluctuations on the system and a source of current that has a value definitely related to the power factor changes of the system.

2. In an alternating current system of distribution, a synchronous motor connected to the system, and means for controlling the field strength of the same including a source of current substantially independent of fluctuations on the system and a source of current that has a value definitely related to changes of the system.

3. In an alternating current system of distribution having a varying power factor, asynchronous system, a source of substantially constant current for energizing the field of said motor, and means for supplying a second current for energizing said field varying with power factor changes oft-he system.

4. In an alternating current system of distribution, apparatus connected. thereto and adapted to act as a condensance, means for normally fixing the valueof said apparatus, means for producing a regulating current varying with the current lag in the system, and independentmea-ns for regulating said apparatus respon'sively to variations of said regulating current.

5. In an alternating current s stem. of distribution, apparatus connects thereto and adapted to act as a condensance or an inductance, means for producing a regulating direction and value recurrent varying in sponsively' to changes of current lag and lead in the system, and means for regulating said apparatus responsively to variations of said regulating current.

6. The combination with an alternating current circuit, of a converter connected thereto, a direct current circuit supplied by said converter with a current having a definite relation to the wattless energy component of the alternating current energy, a synchronous motor connected to the alternating current circuit, and means for reguthereof in accordance with the variations of said direct current.

7. The combination with an alternating current circuit, of a converter connected thereto, a direct current circuit supplied by said converter with a current varying with the wattless energy changes of the alternating current circuit, a synchronous mot-or connected to the alternating current circuit, and means forregulating the field strength thereof in accordance with the variations of said direct current.

other of said field 8. The combination with an alternating current circuit, a power factor compensator connected thereto, a converter connected thereto to receive a current var ing with that of the alternating current clrcuit and arranged to produce two ,direct currents one of which power factor changes of the alternating current circuit, and means for regulating the power factor compensator responsively to variations of the direct current which varies in definite relation to power factor changes.

9. The combination with an alternating current circuit, a synchronous motor connected thereto, a converter connected thereto to receive a current varying with that of the alternating current circuit and arranged to produce two direct currents one of which varies in definite relation to power factor changes of the alternating current circuit, and means for varying the field strength of said motor responsively to variations of one of said direct currents.

10. The combination with an alternating current circuit, a power factor compensator connected thereto, a converter connected thereto to receive that of the alternating current circuit and of which varies in accordance with wattless energy changes of the alternating current circuit, and means for regulating the power factor compensator responsively to variations of one of said direct-currents.

11. The combination with an alternating current circuit, a synchronous motor connected thereto, a converter connected thereto to receive a current varying with that of the alternating current circuit and arranged to produce two direct currents one of which varies in accordance with wattless energy changes of the alternating current circuit, and means for varying the field strength of said motor responsively to variations of the latter current.

12. The combination with an alternating current circuit, of a synchronous motor connected thereto, two coils for regulating the same, means for supplying one of said coils with a current that varies with the power factor changes of the system, and means for supplying the other of said coils with a current whose value is independent of said power factor changes.

13. The combination with an alternating current circuit, of a synchronous motor connected thereto, two field windings for reguvaries with the power factor changes of the system, and means for supplying the windings with a current whose value is independent of said power factor changes.

14. The combination with an alternating varies in definite relation tochronous motor connected thereto,

current circuit, of a s nchronous motor connected thereto, a fiel winding for said motor arranged to receive a substantially constant current, a second field winding therefor, and means for supplying current to the same having a value varying with changes of power factor of the s stem.

15. The combination with an alternating current circuit, of a synchronous motor connected thereto, a field winding for said motor arranged to receive a substantially constant current, a second field winding there for, and means for supplying current to the same having an intensity relatively increasing as the power factor of the system departs from unity.

16. In an alternating current system of distribution, a synchronous motor connected to the system, means for fixing the normal strength of the field of said motor, ap aratus for producing a current having a irection dependent upon the ower factor of the system, and means or varying the strength of said field responsively to changes in said current.

17. In an alternating current system of distribution, a synchronous motor connected field winding therefor, and means for sup; ing in irection according as the power factor shifts in one direction or another from a given value.

18. An alternating current circuit, a power factor compensator connected thereto and means for producing a direct current for regulating said compensator that varies in direction as th alternating current lags or leads,

19. An alternating current circuit, a power factor compensator connected thereto and means for producing a direct current for regulating said compensator that varies in direction as the alternating current la or leads and varies in strength with the extent of the lag or lead. I

20. An alternating current circuit, a synmeans for producing a regulating current varying in direction as the alternating current lags or leads, and means for causin the regulating current to'increase and ecrease the field strength of the motor according to its direction.

21. The combination of an alternating current circuit, a power factor compensator connected thereto, a series transformer in the alternating current circuit, a synchronously driven converter sup lied thereby, brushes on the commutator o the converter bearing on points normally of substantially equal potential, a coil in said circuit, and means for affecting said compensator by the current in said 0011.

lying the same with a current vary- 22. The combination of a polyphase alternating current circuit, a power factor compensator connected thereto, series transformers in difierent conductors of the alternating current circuit, a synchronously driven converter supplied thereby and wound to produce a rotary field, brushes on the commutator of the converter bearing on points normally of substantially equal potential, a coil in said circuit, and means for afiecting said compensator by the current in said coil.

23. The combination of an alternating current circuit, a synchronous motor connected thereto, a series transformer in the alternating current circuit, a synchronously driven converter supplied thereby, brushes on the commutator of the converter bearing on points normally of substantially equal potential, a coil in said circuit, and means for affecting the field strength of said mo-.

tor by the current in said coil. H

24. The combination of a polyphase alternating current circuit, a synchronous motor connected thereto, series transformers in different conductors of the alternating current circuit, a synchronously driven converter supplied thereby and wound to produce a rotary field, brushes on the commutator of the converter bearing on points normally of substantiall equal potential, a coil in said circuit, an means for affecting the field strength of said motor by the current in said coil.

25. In an alternating current system of distribution, a synchronous motor connected to the system, means for fixing the normal strength of the field of said motor, apparatus for producing a current having a value definitely related to the wattless energy of the system, and means for varying the strength of said field responsively to changes in said current.

26. The combination with an alternating current circuit, of a power factor compensator for said circuit, a synchronously driven electric machine arranged to produce a current varying with wattless energy changes of the circuit and means for regulating the power factor compensator responsive to variations in said current. I

27. The combination with an alternating current circuit, of a power factor compensator connected thereto, a synchronously driven electric machine arranged to produce a current varying with wattless energy changes of said circuit and.a coil on the compensator connected directly to said machine for regulating the power factor compensator responsive to variations in said current.

28. The combination with an alternating current circuit, of a power factor compensator for said circuit, an electric machine having a synchronously driven field structure energized by currents substantially in phase with the current of the circuit and arranged to produce a current varying with wattless energy changes of the circuit and means for regulating the power factor compensator responsive to variations in said current.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ALBERT S. HUBBARD.

Witnesses EDWIN SEGER, ANNA DALY. 

